Hot, dry weather has nurtured the Little Sand fire near Pagosa Springs spreading the blaze, which began on May 13, across 11,617 acres.

Over the past few days the fire has been growing at a rate of 1,000 acres a day.

Seven residences have been evacuated in the area and 28 structures are threatened, said Steve Segin, spokesman for the Rocky Mountain Area Coordination Center.

A national incident management team will take over management of the fire on Monday, Segin said, replacing a Type 3 local team that has been handling it.

Temperatures could climb to 100 degrees over the next few days, increasing the fire danger throughout the state, said Segin.

The Little Sand fire is in “rugged and inaccessible terrain, north of the Piedra River, according to InciWeb, a U.S. Forest Service website.

“Weather conditions are expected to remain hot with low humidity, continuing the fire behavior pattern of tree-to-tree torching and crown runs at the head of the fire. Considering the weather forecast, conditions are aligning and intensifying fire behavior in some areas,” the website said.

A total of 165 firefigthers are working the fire, and fire fighting teams are being moved throughout the the state so they can be in place wherever they are needed, Segin said.

The High Park fire continues to burn 15 miles west of Fort Collins and has scorched 55,050 acres. It is 45 percent contained.

A total of 1,631 firefighters are working a 24-hour schedule. It is burning in areas of steep terrain, with limited access, and the presence of dense stands of beetle killed trees to the west of the fire area are a concern to fire officials. The fire was quiet overnight.

Firefighters have built line around a spot fire that is roughly 200 acres on the north side of Poudre Canyon near Steven’s Gulch. The fire is located in steep terrain and timber and difficult to access by ground.

Two 20-person Hotshot crews worked to reinforce that line with containment expected today. Emphasis is being placed on structure protection throughout the fire area.

A general assignment reporter for The Denver Post, Tom McGhee has covered business, police, courts, higher education and breaking news. He came to The Post from Albuquerque, N.M., where he worked for a year and a half covering utilities. He began his journalism career in New York City, worked for a pair of community weeklies that covered the west side of Manhattan from 14th Street to 125th Street.

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